In 2010, O Callaghan, Neal, Mankins, and Kaczur will be free agents. We keep talking about extensions for Wilfork and Seymour and how the Pats need a pass rushing OLB (all true); all this will be meaningless if Brady is getting slaughtered by a porous peicemeal O Line. Keeping Mankins is a given (I hope). Who do we re-sign and who do we go after ? I like Chris Snee and Mankins at OG, but which of the young players currently on the roster will make the big step into the starting line-up in 2010.

In 2010, O Callaghan, Neal, Mankins, and Kaczur will be free agents. We keep talking about extensions for Wilfork and Seymour and how the Pats need a pass rushing OLB (all true); all this will be meaningless if Brady is getting slaughtered by a porous peicemeal O Line. Keeping Mankins is a given (I hope). Who do we re-sign and who do we go after ? I like Chris Snee and Mankins at OG, but which of the young players currently on the roster will make the big step into the starting line-up in 2010. Here's a list of OL Free Agents (young and old alike) http://www.kffl.com/static/nfl/features/freeagents/fa.php?option=OL&y=2010Posted by JohnHannahrulz

Snee leaves the G-men when Coughlin leaves....not for a few more years. I want to see the Pat's O-line get a shot at run blocking 2 downs/series instead of the past 2 years of 1st down shot-gun formations.

Two former college wrestlers, an aging left tackle, a drug addict right tackle, a 5th round center...Hmmm me thinks this unit is in desire need of help ...LIKE DRAFTING SOMEONE AT #23,#26 or #34, but hey thats just me.Posted by Harleyroadking111

Harley, when you put it this way, it sounds horrible. But that kind of skews the reality of it a bit. One of the college wrestlers is now a top notch right guard when healthy (that is a concern though), the 5th round center is a pro bowler (we also have a 6th round starting QB, is that a problem?), and Light and Kazcur can still play solid football.

I do agree that O-line is a long term need, but BB and Scarneccia have a history of developing picks like Vollmer and Ornberger into solid NFL starters.

What's wrong with Koppen?I'll tell you.Against large NT's, including those of the teams division rivals, he ends most plays three yards in the back field.He will be pushed by Al Johnson and rightfully so.

Isn't Chris Snee Coughlin's Son-in-Law? I don't see him making the move to upset Daddy in law....Is Marc Columbo availible???He was a beast at BC,on the BC note my prayers go out to Mark Herzlich and hope that he has a speedy recovery from cancer...

Mark Levoir will replace Mankins at LG he filled in nicely for light last year when he was out and he also filled in well for Kaczur... moving him to LG means at the Salary we are paying him for a team that throw to run is not a bad idea... Mankins is a bull he is going to be the best where ever he goes but we need pass blocking guards more so than run blocking and pulling guards becasue we do not run a pulling type of run game it is more of a zone blocking scheme

Nonetheless Levoir is on the Line of the future, O'Cal is great and he is big so i think he could push for the RT this year which would make Kaczur a final roster cut,

this is the way i see it

Light, O'Cal, LeVoir, Vollmer, Britt (LT/RT)

Mankins, Neal, Ornberger, Hochstein, Yates (RG/LG)

(CT) Koppen, Hochstein, Ornberger

who will leave

Mankins, and Koppen, Kaczur

Line of the Future

Vollmer (LT) Levoir (LG) Ornberger (CT) Neal (RG) Light (RT)

the patriots will draft there RG of the future in round one next year and a quality back up for Levoir if he does not pan out at (LG)

Next year, the best O Line will likely be the same one as this year. We'll probably let Kaczur go and start Vollmer at RT, though. Neal could possibly be replaced at RG if he continues to have injury issues. Ohrnberger would likely be that replacement option. Mankins would ideally be part of that line of the future. Matt Light and Dan Koppen have a few years left under contract. They'll have to start playing very poorly to be replaced. In the long run, Levoir, Bussey, and Porter might be in line to compete for offensive line starting spots. They have a long way to go though in their development. Of course next year everything may change if the Pats draft more offensive linemen. The one thing I would not expect is that the Pats would sign free agent offensive linemen to start for this team. That does not seam like something they like to do.

i thought levoir looked like a good prospect last season too. he's big and looks like he can move his feet pretty well. i remember when he first got on the field i had no clue who he was and expected a disaster, but he looked pretty good. and who cares what the rams thought of him? since when have they been considered the standard of talent evaluation. he's a patriots type of lineman: smart, mobile, tall and he's had some time to develop in the system. i think he's a guy to watch for in 2010.

as for the rest of the line of the future, i really hope makins is still there, and is the only one still there. seabass and the bulldog ohrnberger (who will probably be a center) will get every chance to play, and hopefully buss or porter will develop. i'm hoping for porter just because its a fun story.

In 2010, O Callaghan, Neal, Mankins, and Kaczur will be free agents. We keep talking about extensions for Wilfork and Seymour and how the Pats need a pass rushing OLB (all true); all this will be meaningless if Brady is getting slaughtered by a porous peicemeal O Line. Keeping Mankins is a given (I hope). Who do we re-sign and who do we go after ? I like Chris Snee and Mankins at OG, but which of the young players currently on the roster will make the big step into the starting line-up in 2010. Here's a list of OL Free Agents (young and old alike) http://www.kffl.com/static/nfl/features/freeagents/fa.php?option=OL&y=2010Posted by JohnHannahrulz

This is an area crying out for big free agent signings next year. We have no fallback, and the Volmer pick was an absurd reach. In the NFL, you have 32 teams x 5 OL for 160 total OL starters. There are maybe 100 good O-linemen. This is a position of need for so many teams. The Pats are better than most here, as long as the injury bug does not strike. But next year?

Two former college wrestlers, an aging left tackle, a drug addict right tackle, a 5th round center...Hmmm me thinks this unit is in desire need of help ...LIKE DRAFTING SOMEONE AT #23,#26 or #34, but hey thats just me.Posted by Harleyroadking111

What a great post. And the Pats had a shot at a very good tackle prospect whom the Ravens traded up a few slots for at #23. And Ozzie Newsome has a great history in picking stars late in Round One (Reed, Lewis, Heep just to name a few). This was a year for us to trade UP or trade picks for veterans, but we did the opposite.

Mark Levoir will replace Mankins at LG he filled in nicely for light last year when he was out and he also filled in well for Kaczur... moving him to LG means at the Salary we are paying him for a team that throw to run is not a bad idea... Mankins is a bull he is going to be the best where ever he goes but we need pass blocking guards more so than run blocking and pulling guards becasue we do not run a pulling type of run game it is more of a zone blocking scheme Nonetheless Levoir is on the Line of the future, O'Cal is great and he is big so i think he could push for the RT this year which would make Kaczur a final roster cut, this is the way i see it Light, O'Cal, LeVoir, Vollmer, Britt (LT/RT) Mankins, Neal, Ornberger, Hochstein, Yates (RG/LG) (CT) Koppen, Hochstein, Ornberger who will leave Mankins, and Koppen, Kaczur Line of the Future Vollmer (LT) Levoir (LG) Ornberger (CT) Neal (RG) Light (RT) the patriots will draft there RG of the future in round one next year and a quality back up for Levoir if he does not pan out at (LG) Posted by tagandtrade

This scenario sounds like one thing for opposing defenses: jail break!! Even a bum like Vernon Gholston may get a sack or two against this group. We had better lock up Mankins and pay the piper for whoever next year's Leonard Davis-type is. It will not be cheap. This is a position of need throughout the NFL.